Closet drier



E. B. HUDSON CLOSET DRIER July 22, 1952 Filed March 1, 1950 ,q-rramutysPatented July 22, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE *CLOSET Dar-ER. I

Edwin-B. Hudson, Middletown, IOhio Application Maren 1, 1950.,Serial-No. 147,085

. 1 This invention relates 'to a closet drier and is particularlyconcerned with a simple, inexpensive andefilcient device for drying acloset or some othersmall confined space to prevent mildew, mold andmusty odors.

In tropical climates particularly, such as the southern States wherewarm andhum'id air prevaiLs "and the relative humidity frequentlyexceeds eighty percent, a tremendous amount of damage is caused toclothes, textiles, paper, leather and the like by mildew and mold, andthe musty odor thereby created is a source of great annoyance. This isparticularly true of small confined spaces, such as closets "and atticrooms, where air cannot circulate freely. "The lack "of central heatingin practically allo'f the houses and buildings in "thisarea'adds'to thedifficulty, but the same problem of formation of mold and mildew'exists"in all "localities wherethe relative humidity rises above sixtypercent, which includes at sometime of the-year all of'the Unitedculation of air even in a small confined "space such as "a "closet, andaccordingly do :not reach sum the spores even in a small area. Inaddition, a lighted electric light :bulb constitutes a fire hazardand'this practice is frowned upon by insurance companies and safetyorganizations.

The'principal .objectof the present invention has .been to provide anelectrical :means "for solving the mold and' mildew problem :as abovedescribed. Another objectrhas been toprov-id-e an electrical heatingmeans which can b readily utilized in a small confined space,'such asastoragecloset, and which-at the same time does not States, exceptpossibly the ten mountain States.

Ithasbeen scientifically determined that mold and mildew are caused bysmall spores -which float freely in the air, having about the samespecific gravity as air. These same spores also cause the musty odorfound -'in closets or other small confined spaces and enclosed rooms.The spores are exceedingly small and cannot be seen except with amicroscope. They areusually balloon-"shaped and are-associated withercontained inssmal-l particles of moisture. The spores float intheairuntil they alight on-an "oily surface of any kind. 'There they grow andinultiplygforming-mold and mildewwliichquic'kly rots an'd destroysthehost material. Warm and moist air are essential to -th'eir life andgrowth. If "the spores are exposed to a temperature inexc'ess of 144F.,=theyare quickly destroyed. "Iheproblem has beento find a simple,inexpensive means and method of exposing the spores in suificientnumbers to'a temperature sufficiently high to destroy them.

Various devices and expedientshave heretofore been-used in an attempt toremedy these conditions, but :none have proved entirely satisfactory.For example, jars containing calcium chloride have been =utilized toabsorb moisture from the air which includes the moisture associated withthe spores, but these jars quickly become saturated and have to beemptied and the calciumc'h'loride must "be replaced frequently. Lightedelectricilight bulbs'oi high wattage have provided a partial solution,but are not wholly effectual because theyzdonot cause sufficientcirconstitute a fire hazard even when it is maintained in continuousoperation. A .further object has been to provide an electrical heatingm'eans'producing a stack effect so that upon installation in a smallconfined space all .of the spore bearing air in the space will besubjected to theaction of the destroying heat.

Another important object has been to provide a cooling or insulatingmeans whereby all surfaces of the'dev-ice'which may be exposed'tocontact with walls, clothes 'or other'objects in the closet will becontinuously maintained well below the "ignition temperature of anyobject with which theymay'come into contact. Still another object hasbeen to provide a simple and effective device ifor accomplishing "thedesired purpose which can be manufactured andisold "at a pricecompetitive with :the makeshift devices previously referred to and whichcan beoperated at a very small cost.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the further 'and moredetailed description of'the invention when considered in 'con junctionwith the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side .elevationrof a preferred embodiment of the deviceof'the invention installed on a wall, such'as for example, the innerwall of a closet.

Figure '2 is a sectional view through the device showing the assemblyand arrangement of the parts.

Fi'gure3'is :a bottom plan view looking upward.

Figure .4 is'a sectional view "along the line 4-4, FigureZ.

The general exterior assembly .is best illustnated in Figure :1 in whichthe entire "device has been designated generally as 10. The elementsvisible from the exterior compris an exterior casing H of generallycylindrical configuration formed from metal, plastic, or the like. Arcap I2 :is fitted in position on the rupperedges :of the casing andmaintained .inzposition' by theJrod l3 having a screw threaded end onwhich is affixed a nut I4. A bottom cap [5 of similar construction isfitted to the lower end of the casing and is secured in position by throd l6 and the nut IT. A lead wire I8 is inserted into the lower end ofthe casing through an aperture in the bottom cap and may be suitablyinsulated in a conventional manner as indicated at IS. The device may beaffixed to the wall by suspending it on a screw from the slot 2| in theouter casing or by any other suitable attachment means.

As shown in Figure 2, a heating element 22 preferably of generallycylindrical configuration is suspended in the interior of an innercasing designated 23. This element preferably includes a hollow ceramiccylinder 24in which is wound a resistance wire 25 suitably connected toelectric terminals 28 and 2?. The lead wire [8 is preferably insulatedinside of the cylinder by ceramic insulating sections 28 of a well knowntype.

Inserted through the bore in the element 22 is a zig-zag bent wire 29having a loop 30 formed at each end. Each loop is adapted to be engagedby a hook 3| formed at the inner end of each of the rods [3 and IS. Theexterior diameter of the respective hooks 3l-3l is greater than thediameter of the bore in the element 22 to prevent movement of thecylinder in the casing, the bent wire 29 being under slight tensionbetween them. Accordingly, it will be seen that the heating element issuspended at all times in substantially the center of the casing whereit is exposed to a maximum contact with air passing through the casingand where it cannot contact and overheat the sides, top or bottom of thecasing. At the same time, the element 22 can readily be removed from thecasing if this should prove to be necessary for any reason.

A continuous series of apertures 33 are formed in the upper cap [2 andare interconnected to the interior of the inner casing 23 and a similarseries of apertures 34 are formed in the lower cap i5 as particularlyshown in Figures 3 and 4.

As the air in the closet enters the apertures 34 it becomes heated,rises and passes out through the apertures 33 thereby creating thedesired stack efiect. While a certain portion of the air will passthrough the bore of the heating element, it is not absolutely essentialthat all Of the air do thisbecause the inner casing 23 is a stack in andof itself.

The outer casing i surrounds the entire inner casing 23 and is spacedtherefrom. Casing H is separated from the heating element by the wall ofthe interior casing 23 and the space between the two casings and has aseries of apertures 36 in its upper surface and a similar series ofapertures 31 in its lower surface. As the room air enters the spacebetween the outer and inner casings through the apertures 31, it is atroom temperature, but upon contact with the outer surface of the innercasing, it absorbs av certain amount of heat from this surface andrises, pass ing through the upper outlet-apertures 36 taking with it theheat which has been absorbed and permitting the entry of new air at roomtemperature. In this way, the interior space defined by the outer casingH is maintained at a relatively cool temperature substantially below thetemperature of the air adjacent the heating element.

From the above it will be perceived that the flow of electricity throughthe lead wire I8 and thence through the resistance wire 25 heats thelatter wire from 80 to 100 F. above room temperature.

This in turn heats the air in the entire inner casing and particularlyin the bore of the element 22 well above the spore killing temperatureof 144 F., thereby destroying the spores which have entered the innercasing with the air stream. At the same time, the action of the heat onthe air stream is effective to reduce the relative humidity and moisturecontent of the closet from ten to forty percent below that of adjoiningrooms and below the point where mold and mildew can readily grow. Thedouble stack effect which is created causes all of the air in a smallconfined space to pass through the unit in a comparatively short spaceof time, thereby destroying all 7 pension of the heating unit in theinner casing and by the outer casing 35 effectively negativeany'likelihood of fire damage because there is no point on the outersurface of the device where the temperaturecan become sufiiciently highto cause ignition of even the most inflammable materials. In addition,the construction is such that this condition cannot occur even if thedevice should drop to the floor or be subjected to a sharp blow of somesort.

The cost of operation of the device is exceedingly low, less in factthan that of chemical devices which have heretofore been in use. Whileit is unnecessary to keep it in operation constantly, even a continuousoperation over a period of weeks or months does not consume any'verysubstantial amount of electricity.

The various elements of the device are commercially available or canreadily be fabricated by stamping-and the assembly has been simpli fiedto a point where the over-all cost of manufacture is very low.

While the form of the device which has been herein described constitutesthe preferred form, it will be obvious that various changes anddepartures can be made in the exact construction without departing fromthe principles of the invention as herein set out. w

Accordingly, I desire to be limited only by the ensuing claims.

1. A device for destroying air borne spores in a small confined space bysubjecting them to the action of heat comprising a pair ofconcentrically disposed cylinders adapted to be mounted vertically, saidcylinders defining an inner passageway and an outer passageway, a pairof substantially identical apertured end caps having seats adapted toreceive the respective ends of the cylinders, a cylindrical heatingelement formed of ceramic material, a resistance wire as-. sociated withsaid element, means for energizing the resistance wire, and meansmounting said element within the inner passageway in spaced relationshipto the respective end caps with the axis of the element parallel to theaxes of the cylinders, the last named means including a pair of rods,each rod of the pair being disposed at an end of the element, meansholding the respective inner ends of the rods in supporting contact withopposite ends of the element, the outer end of each rod being threadedand extending through an aperture in an end cap, and a nut upon each ofthe threaded ends of the rods, the respective nuts tightened against theoutside of the'end caps,'whereby the caps are held in seatedrelationship with the cylinders and the heating element is held inspaced relationship to the end caps and to the wall of the innercylinder.

2. A device for destroying air borne spores in a small confined space bysubjecting them to the action of heat comprising three concentricallydisposed cylinders, the outer two of the cylinders being substantiallylonger than the inner one, a pair of substantially identical apertureend caps having seats adapted to receive the respective ends of the twoouter cylinders, the inner cylinder formed of ceramic material having aresistance wire associated therewith and constituting a heating element,means for energizing the re sistance wire, means mounting the innercylinder in spaced relationship to the end caps, the last named meansincluding a stiff spring element disposed longitudinally within theinner cylinder, said spring element having a loop formed at each end, apair of rods, each rod of the air disposed at an end of the heatingelement, each rod having a loop at its inner end of greater diameterthan the inside diameter of the inner cylinder linked with a loop at theend of the spring element, whereby the loops on the rods are heldagainst the ends of the heating element under the tension of the springelement, the outer ends of the rods threaded and passing throughapertures in the respective end caps, a nut engaged upon the threadedend of each rod and tightened against the outside of the adjacent endcap, whereby the rods function to support the heating element and holdthe respective end caps in place thereby securing the parts of thedevice together as a unit.

3. In a device for destroying air borne spores in a small confined spaceby subjecting them to the action of heat, said device including avertically disposed cylinder having apertured end caps thereon, meansfor mounting a cylindrical heating element axially of and Within saidcylinder comprisin a zig-zag bent wire disposed longitudinally withinsaid heating element, said wire being shorter than the element andhaving a loop 4 formed at each end, a pair of rods, each rod of the pairdisposed at an end of the heating element and extending axiallytherefrom, a loop formed at the inner end of each of the rods, each ofsaid loops of the rods being of greater diameter than the insidediameter of said element and linked with a loop at an end of the zig-zagbent wire, the outer ends of said rods secured to the respective endcaps, and said zig-zag bent wire being under tension between therespective loops of the rods whereby they are pulled into engagementwith the respective ends of the heating element thereby supporting theelement between them.

4. In a device for destroying air borne spores in a small confined spaceby subjecting them to the action of heat, said device including acylinder adapted to be mounted in a vertical position, and withapertured end caps enclosing the respective ends of the cylinder, meansfor mounting a cylindrical heating element axially of and within saidcylinder comprising a stiff spring disposed within the heating element,said spring being shorter than the element, a pair of rods, each rod ofthe pair disposed at an end of the heating element and attached at itsinner end to an end of the stiff spring element, each rod having anaubtment at its inner end adapted to engage an end of the cylinderwhereby the respective abutments on the rods are held in engagement withthe cylinder under the tension of the spring, and the outer ends of therods secured to the respective end caps.

EDWIN B. HUDSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,694,175 Hauser Dec. 4:, 19282,042,264 Leven Hagen May 26, 1936 2,391,207 Van Schaaok Dec. 18, 1945

